IRS write off for laundering sheets

[Hiffodorgotut]

As I'm filling doing my taxes I'm trying to figure out how much to deduct for laundering the sheets I use per client. I've heard varying responses to this from .75 to 2.33 per client and searched the IRS web site. Does anyone know what the rule is on this? It costs $1.10 a pound to have the sheets done professionally.

 

[john e]

Best I can lead you to is this cross reference:

Income tax deductions - how much for laundry?
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4499

Maybe someone else has more info.

 

[A Guy]

laundry deduction

The rule is that you can only deduct actual expenses. You'll see a lot of posts saying to deduct what you'd pay at the laundry or to make an estimate. Not true. The only legal deduction is for actual expenses.

It's also true that your odds of being audited are extremely remote. You decide.

For those who wish to do what's right legally and ethically then go with actual expenses. That's going to be difficult for laundry done at home. You've got to be able to figure depreciation, maintenance and utilities for your home machines and then be able to figure the perceneforum.xxxe of home personal vs. business use. I only deduct what I can actually prove, which are the purchases of the products.

 

[Kerensa]

That's what I do too - just write off the detergent, softner, oxy clean, spray & wash, etc. I would drive myself mad trying to figure how much it costs in water & electricity to run one load of laundry.

You COULD go with a laundry service, pay them the asking price, never have to do your own again & write it off. I used to do that at a salon a long time ago. I loved dropping off my big bag of stuff & picking it up the next day. (Oh my GOD, why aren't I doing that NOW? ha ha)

Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[Peter Griffin]

Or.... if you have kids, you could use them as a write off... actually have them helping you do laundry or not.... or.... you as an individual could charge your business a rent per month for the use of your personal laundry machines.

Ladeeda

 

[Red Devils Lad]

kriyakis, do you launder your sheets at home or at the laundromat??? if you do them at home, why not start taking them to the laundromat? it's way easier to get them done and then you can write them off.

 

[Theandysullivan]

Or.... you could have a second business wash your sheets. This business could supply all the detergent, cleaning supplies, machines and hot water. Call the business the "Johnson (or whatever your last name is) Laundry. Charge $1.00 per load to wash and $1.00 to dry each load. Have this business wash your home clothes as well at the same rate if you like. You could even sell your current washer and dryer from yourself to your business. This would especially work well if your laundry room was a seperate room.... ideal for taxes.

I will leave it up to you if you charge your business for the water and electricity.

Ladeeda

 

[Megan B]

I do what Sagetherapist does...

But wait, there's more!

For those of you that work out of your house, like me, measure the square fooeforum.xxxe of the house that is dedicated to MASSAGE. I have an office (with my computer that 1) pipes tunes into the studio from a winamp playlist and 2) houses all website data, my filing cabinet with client files, receipts, and all other massage-related stuff. I have a front room, which serves as my consultation room and waiting room, where clients fill out their intake form and we conduct payment for sessions. I have the restroom that is pretty much just for client use, and the massage studio. I also have the hallway that goes from the door and front room to the studio and past the restroom. I measured the square fooeforum.xxxe (length times width) of each room used for massage plus the hallway, added it up, came up with a total, and then divided that by the total number of square fooeforum.xxxe in the house. Came out to about 32% of the total square fooeforum.xxxe that was used for massage. My CPA (who was head of the Ethics Committee and is a very qualified practitioner) said that I can then take THAT PERCENeforum.xxxE of the house payment itself and ALL utilities, and deduct that much. So 32% of my water bill, my power bill, my cable internet bill (since we use that to upload the updated website, research, and communicate with clients via email), 32% of all electric and gas, all professionally-done lawn care, heat & A/C, you know where this is going... From what he said, that 32% of ALL that is completely tax-deductible. Yay! Hope that saves someone some cash

 

[haries]

The 2005 laundry factor for Portland, Oregon area is $3.33/load. You can use that to compare to your area's cost of living to get the allowable laundry factor for your area.

 

[Garf F]

The 2005 laundry factor for Portland, Oregon area is $3.33/load. You can use that to compare to your area's cost of living to get the allowable laundry factor for your area.

Where did you find this? I'm done with taxes for this year, but I want to know what I can deduct next year! This year wasn't an issue, as I did turn a profit, but not enough to be taxed on. I do plan on that changing, though!!!

 

[Vince]

My accountant. She's amazing--partner of an accounting firm, and she's also been a massage therapist for 25+ years. She specializes in small service businesses, especially massage therapy, and tells me that there are so many tiny details that the non-service industry accountant doesn't have a clue about, it could save thousands of tax burden.

 

[hubby]

My accountant. She's amazing--partner of an accounting firm, and she's also been a massage therapist for 25+ years.

Breathe, please ask her to join the forum we'd love to have her here with us!

 

[~ Poca ~]

My accountant. She's amazing--partner of an accounting firm, and she's also been a massage therapist for 25+ years.

Breathe, please ask her to join the forum we'd love to have her here with us!

I second that!

 

[Cliff Jumper]

I've mentioned it to her, but she is so incredibly busy with her accounting firm, and her massage practice. I can ask her again, maybe when the busy season is over she will reconsider.

I wonder if she might be willing to come on here as a guest for a short amount of time, specifically to answer questions? hmmm...

 

[missAZ]

Well we don't have guest posting status, so she'd have to register, not that it is a big thing for her to do that. But she could come on a time or two to answer questions if she'd like...
I'm sure we'd all love it and the mods might be able to arrange something... if you let us know in advance when she'll be coming around... like perhaps starting a special thread for tax questions... t102